Fluoxetine [3-(4-trifluoromethylphenoxy)-N-methyl-3-phenylpropylamine] has been shown to be a highly specific inhibitor of serotonin uptake. See Fuller et al., J. Pharm. Exp. Ther., 193, 796 (1975) and Wong et al., id., 804 (1975). In addition, fluoxetine has been shown to possess analgesic properties when administered alone (U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,511) or when given with morphine (U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,982). Whether this latter activity is described as a synergistic effect or that of fluoxetine potentiating the morphine analgesic activity appears to depend upon the test system employed to demonstrate the analgesic activity. See Messing et al., Psychopharmacology Comm., 1, 511 (1975); Sugrue et al., J. Pharm. Pharmac., 28, 447 (1976); Larson et al., Life Sci., 21, 1807 (1977); and Hynes et al., Drug Dev. Res., 2, 33 (1982).
Norfluoxetine [3-(4-trifluoromethylphenoxy)-3-phenylpropylamine] is a metabolite of fluoxetine and is also known to block monoamine uptake, especially serotonin. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,896.
It is desirable to find methods of causing analgesia which result in few, if any, adverse side effects to the patient. Thus, a method of potentiating the analgesic effect of analgesics, such as codeine, would enable one to employ less codeine to achieve the desired analgesic effect while limiting side effects normally associated with higher doses of the analgesic.